


The Corpse Bride: Rumbelle AU

by zoe19blink



Category: Corpse Bride (2005), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 19:46:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6920542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoe19blink/pseuds/zoe19blink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Cora and Lord Malcolm have arranged for their children to marry: Regina, a miserable young girl whose heart belongs to another, and Rune, a nervous little twitch, terrified of everything that isn't concealed between the covers of a book.<br/>But when Rune stumbles directly into a nightmare and finds himself engaged to a rotting (but lovely) corpse of a young murdered girl, it may change everything--for better or for worse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Corpse Bride: Rumbelle AU

 

 

 

 

Lord Malcolm was by far the most destitute, pathetic, patches-and-mismatches noble in the country. He was as unpleasant and imbecilic as he was disgraced: indeed, carrying the family name “Stiltskin” remained his only achievement to date. Known throughout the area for his unfounded arrogance and unfunded extravagance, he had few allies and fewer marriage prospects for his son, Rune.

Not that Rune would have had many prospects, either way: he was a scrawny, nervous little man who preferred to hide behind the covers of a book than entertain any sort of company. He was very well educated, with a surprising amount of wit and cleverness…which unfortunately went to waste, as Lord Malcolm insisted that education was but a means to advance social status, that it hardly had any practical use at all, and was rather a waste of time (it must be noted, that Lord Malcolm was by no means an intelligent man himself). 

Thank God, they had that family name, or they would have surely starved to death with no one but the crows to mourn them!

The wealth had been long squandered; the estates sold; the family themselves buried and rotted; but the name still stood strong. The Stiltskin line had once been considered the most noble, respected line in the entire country, after the Royal one. Boasting relation to several royals, as well as some important and extremely wealthy individuals, marriage into the Stiltskin clan was once a highly coveted position. Even now, the name carried a great deal of weight in society: it was truly the only thing Lord Malcolm and Rune had left.

And it was for exactly this reason that Rune found himself ambling along in their creaky old carriage toward the Mills’ estate, where the young Lady Regina was waiting to meet her betrothed. Rune had never even _seen_ Regina, though he’d heard she was quite beautiful and apparently a sparkling conversationalist. Even though she was practically half his age (fifteen, to his near-thirty), she was very much prepared to marry him and bear him several heirs that would bring honor to the Stiltskin family again.

According to her mother. 

Cora Mills was an absolute _shark_ of a woman (“Too clever,” Lord Malcolm sniffed disapprovingly of her. “Unnatural for a woman— _most_ unnatural!”), composed more of steel and ice than flesh and blood. Silly things like _emotions_ and _affections_ never plagued her; and her husband and daughter were expected to uphold this “perfectly reasonable” standard, as well. Henry Mills had long since given up his dreams of a loving marriage, and contented himself with a submissive one, but Regina…oh, sweet Regina. Rune was said to be a harmless little insect—even kindly, if one could drag a word out of him—but that did little to endear him to her. She had other suitors in mind—one in particular, which horrified Cora so deeply, she still needed smelling salts to revive her whenever the scandal was mentioned. 

But Regina was barely more than a child: it wasn't _her_ fault that her mind still teemed with girlish fantasies of love and romance. She simply needed to grow out of that nonsense— and nothing matured a child into a woman better than marriage. “Such an innocent little bird,” Cora tsked, shaking her head as she signed the betrothal contract by proxy (a sobbing Regina beating against the wall in the next room). Oh, to be young again!

By the time that dreary, gray morning arrived, Regina had sobered her tears into a miserable sullenness, which merely succeeded in _irritating_ her mother, but otherwise went unnoticed. For his part, the young blacksmith looked rather miserable and sullen himself, but who noticed a blacksmith when the Stiltskin men were on route! Indeed, Cora chuckled to herself as she swept through the manor for a final inspection, who noticed a blacksmith either way?

It was just past eleven o’clock when the shambled little carriage creaked to a halt in front of the Mills estate. Cora elbowed Henry, hissing out of the corner of her mouth: “Stand up straight, Henry, you idiot!” 

“Yes, dear,” Henry murmured.

“And Regina, for goodness’ sake, stop that infernal moping! Even Lord Malcolm would be put off by your behavior!”

“Yes, Mother,” Regina glowered. 

Lord Malcolm stepped out and raked a hand through his sparse, wiry beard, smacking his lips in relish of the wealthy family. “Hurry up, Rune!” he called over his shoulder. “Haven’t got all day, you know!”

A bony, wide-eyed young man stumbled out on trembling legs. Cora’s smile flickered as he bobbed a meek little bow and retreated as far back as he dared, tripping over his own feet in the process.

 _Pathetic_ , she thought ruefully. _Absolutely pathetic._ But she glided forward with her hand held out nonetheless.

“Lord Malcolm,” she said silkily. “Welcome to our home.”

“A pleasure, I’m sure,” he said, briskly shaking her hand. “Where’s Angelina?”

“ _Regina._ ”

“Precisely.” Lord Malcolm raised his bushy eyebrows, looking around. “Where is the young lady?”

“My daughter, Regina—“ Cora indicated her with a dismissive wave of her hand. “She’s pleased to make your acquaintance, and of course, we’re all thrilled about the joining of our families. But it’s enough of that, you must be tired from your journey, gentleman! And utterly famished, I imagine!”

“A bit peckish,” Malcolm agreed, patting his stomach. 

Cora tsked. “We shall have to remedy that right away,” she decided. “Follow me to the dining room, and I’ll have the luncheon served straightaway!”

“Brilliant, ” Malcolm nodded appreciatively. “It’s been a long ride here, and we could use a bite. Eh, Rune?”

Rune flickered a shy smile, holding his hands behind his back and murmuring something about, “That would be lovely, thank you.”

“And, of course, it would be nice to give the youngsters a chance to talk whilst we discuss the engagement,” Cora said as she lead the group up the cobbled pathway. “After all, I’m sure we’d all love to get this business taken care of and signed away as soon as possible.”

Neither Regina nor Rune were very pleased with the callously off-handed way Cora referred to their marriage (everyone knew the marriage was a business transaction, but this was ridiculous); however, Regina was too miserable and Rune too meek to make an argument against her. They trailed after their parents silently, not looking at anyone—particularly not each other. 

It was a dreary start to what was surely going to be a dreary marriage. It was morbid to think so, but Rune couldn't help hoping that Death could part them much sooner than they anticipated.

 


End file.
